Coin-freed machine.



o. E. HIBBERD.

G01N FREED MAGHINE. YPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1906. A Patented July 13, 1909.

2 HBETB-SHEET 1. 2-'Ill I- lmonewA s. Gamm co. FAnW-LITHOGRAPHERS. WASHINGTON. a c.

c. E. HIBBERD. GOIN FREED MACHINE.

APPLICATION I ILBD AUG. 6, 1906.

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Patented Ju1y13,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

CHARLES EDWIN HIBBERD, OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE HIBBERD PREPAYMENT MACHINE SYNDICATE LIMITED, A COMPANY AND BODY CORPORATE OF NEW ZEALAND.

COIN-FREED MACHINE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Application filed August 6, 1906. 4Serial No. 329,379.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES EDWIN I-IIB- BERD, a subject of His Majesty the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Albert Road, Devonport, Auckland, in the Provincial District of Auckland, in the Colony of New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Freed Ma chines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coin freed ma* chines and relates to the class of apparatus for which I made application, Serial Number 27 6,088 for Letters Patent dated August 26th, 1905.

My present invention comprises a construction useul in gas meters for obtaining given quantities of gas, as clearly set out in this speciiication and claimed in the claiming clauses.

According to this invention, mechanism is employed for 0 erating a registering column which has a at side and is iitted with a worm engaging the thread of a screwed column. Toothed wheels communicate motion to the screwed column from a spindle which is revolved by the meter during the flow of was. C The invention also provides means whereby the registering column may be revolved by means of a ratchet wheel and a pawl, which is automatically disengaged from the ratchet wheel which may thus be turned backward.

The invention further provides means whereby the registering column and its worm operates a gas inlet valve.

The drawings herewith illustrate the invention:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of releasing apparatus, Fig. 2 is a front elevation, Fig. 3 a plan, and Fig. 4 a side elevation of the mechanism, Fig. 5 is a perspective elevation of an axle and its associated parts, Fig. 6 is a perspective elevation of a releasing disk, Fig. 7 is a side elevation, and Fig. 8 a corresponding front elevation of a pawl, Fig. 9 is a perspective elevation of a pawl and associated parts, Fig. 10 a side elevation of toothed gearing for actuating a registering column, Fig. 11 a side elevation of mechanism for actuating a screwed column, Fig. 12 a plan of the same, and Fig. 13 is a plan of Worm and column, Fig. 14 is a detail view of parts 10, 11, and 16, hereinafter described.

The worm 1 is adapted to slide vertically upon the revolubly mounted registering column 2 and this worm engages with the correspondingly screwed column 3 which is freed so that it may be revolved by an operator through a certain number of revolutions according to the value of the coin placed in the machine.

The quantity oi gas obtained by means of the machine is determined by the height to which the worm 1 is raised upon its column 2, the flow ofthe gas being utilized to revolve the column 3 and cause the downward descent ofthe worm which then operates mechanism to out off the supply of gas. These operations are brought about by mechanism which is illustrated on the drawings and contained in a casing of which 4 is the front plate, 5 the back plate, and 6 a side plate and 7 the top plate. The casing is made to iit upon a gas meter, and the weight of the coin is utilized to liberate mechanism and permit the person who places the coin in the machine to turn the column 3 and thereby raise the worm l to a height upon the registering column according to the value ofthe com.

A shaft 8 mounted horizontally in the casing is given various degrees of rotary movement by coins of various sizes. The weight of a coin operates a releasing lever 9, which is pivotally mounted on a stud 9a attached to the front plate 4. The said lever thus actuated withdraws a foot 10 of the said 'lever from a slot l1 of a releasing disk 12 see Figs. 1 and 6 and thus sets free said releasing disk 12, which is mounted freely upon the axle 8 and in engagement therewith by means of lugs 13, integral with the axle, engaging in jaws 14 integral with the disk. The axle and disk thus revolve together, while the axle is free to move laterally through the disk. The end 15 of the axle is sided to receive a key.

I/Vhen the foot 10 is engaged in the slot 11, as shown in Fig. 1, the releasing disk 12 is prevented vfrom turning in the direction shown by the arrow by the foot 10 bearing against a bracket 16, which is rigidly iixed to the plate 4, and the said disk is prevented from being turned in an opposite direction by a lug 17 integral with the disk engaging with the said bracket 16. The lever 9 is made as light as )ossible and as its foot overhangs the front p ate 4 it easily yields t0 preslengages with the sloping face of a gap sure. Therefore said lever is made to abut against the bracket 16: otherwise the disk would have some play, impairing the accuracy of the machine. A ratchet wheel 13 integral with the releasing disk 12 is normally prevented from turning in one direction by a pawl 2O which is pivoted within the bracket 16 upon a pin 21 and is also provided with lateral play upon the said pin by slotting its pinhole, see Figs. 7 and 8. A spring 22 :fixed to the bracket tends to keepthe pawl in engagement withthe teeth of the ratchet wheel.

13 and another spring 23 alsolixed to the bracket presses the pawl 20 against the front plate 4.

The disk is prevented from turning backward throughout nearly the whole of. a revolution by the pawl 2O which is then thrown out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. 13 and so held by the pressure of spring 23 to allow the disk to revolve in the opposite direction, and'permit the axle to be returned to its normal position. This operation is effected by omitting the teeth of the ratchet wheel between the points 24 and 25 and providing a gap 26 having sloping faces. The to of the pawl 20 is also sloped so that after tie teeth of the ratchet wheel leave the pawl the sloping top of the pawl 26 provided in the periphery of the disk and ratchet wheel, and the pawl is diverted to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 against the pressure of the spring 23, thus leaving the disk free to revolve backward. 22 is stronger than the spring' 23, so that when. the sloping face of the paw 2O drops on the corresponding sloping face of the bottom of the gap 26, the spring 22 overcomes the resistance of the spring 23, and the said pawl is pushed sidewise.

The disk is prevented fromv moving outward from the plate 4 by a keeper 27 and the bracket 16, and tends to revolve in a direction opposite to that shown by the arrow by means of a spring 23 coiled around the axle 3, see Fig. 4, which spring 23 has one end secured to the front plate 4 by a screw 29 passing through an eye 30, and the other end to the axle 3 by a pin 31. See Fig. 5. This spring is also in compression and tends to keep the said axle in its inward position as shown in Fig. 4 (i. e. its position nearest to back plate 5). during the assembling of the parts of the machine and remains in compression between the front plate 4 and the in 31. A toothed wheel 32 revolves with tie axle S in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 5, until arrested by the following mechanism.

A ratchet wheel 33 see Fig. 5 is integral with a sleeve 34 mounted freely upon the axle Sand is connected therewith by means of a pin 35 which engages with a V shaped slot formed in the end of the sleeve 34 and adapt- This spring is compressed.

ed to receive the said pin, and the toothed wheel 32 h as pivoted uponit pawls 36 and 37 operated by springs 33 and 39, the said toothed wheel being mounted freely upon the sleeve 34. The wheel 32 thus revolves when the axle 8 is revolved in the direction shown by the arrow in Figs. 1 and 5, but the revolution of the axle may be continued after the movement of the wheel has been arrested.

The registering column 2 revolves when the wheel 32 is revolved by' the axle', a pinion engaging with the wheel 32 being mounted upon an axle 41 whereon the miter wheel 42 is also fixed, see Fig. 10. The compound spur and miter wheel 42 engages with the compound spur and miter wheel43 which gears with a pinion 44v secured to thel top pivot 45 of the registering column 2. The worm 1 fits freely upon the column 2 which has a flat side 46 adapted to engage a 'flat face provided in the hole of the worm, see Fig. 13. worm revolves with it and rises or. falls according to the direction in which the said column is revolved, the worm engagingwith the thread of the screwed column 3.

The axle 3 is returned to its normal position, after the stoppage of the wheel 32, and the ratchet wheel 33 by the pin 35 riding upon the face of the slot in thes eeve 34 until the gap 26 inthe disk 12 arrives opposite the pawl 2O when the disk may be returned to its normal position as previously described, see Figs, 5. and 6. The spindle 50 is revolved by the ordinary registering mechanism of a gas meter and the revolution ol' this spindle is communicated to the screwed column, 3, see Figs. 4, 11 and 12, A- sided end 51 is formed upon the extremity of the spindle 50- and a spindle 52 fitted thereto. Upon the other end of the spindle 52 a pin ion 53 is fixed and is geared to the toothed wheel 54 by means of idle wheels 56. The wheel 54 is fixed to the top ofthe screwed column 3, which is thus revolved by the spindle 50.

T will now describe the operation of the machine by reference to all the figures.

The weight of a coin having operated the lever 9, and the foot 10 withdrawn from the disk 12, the axle S is free torevolve. The operator then places a key upon the sided end 15 of the axle Sand turns the axle in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 1. The pin 35 turns the ratchet wheel 33 which revolves the wheels 32, 40, 42, 43, 44', andthe registering column 2. The worm 1 revolving with the column 2 and gearingv with the screwed column 3 rises upon. the saidl column 2. The revolution of the column 2 is continued for a length of. time varying withv the kind of coin employed to seti free the mechanism. The pin 35 then rides upon the inclined face of the slot in the boss 34 and When the column 2 is revolved thev out of said slot, the action of this inclined face while the shaft or axle rotates forcing said pin and axle in the opposite or outward direction, the axle moving outwardly against the compression of the spring 28. After pin 35 has left said slot, it turns in contact with the face of said boss, and is not moved thereby, but merely prevented from moving in the opposite direction under the pressure of said spring until it comes opposite the said slot again and is forced by the spring into said slot, the shaft moving with said pin to its first position. This action is repeated at each dropping of a coin. The jaws 14 are long enough to prevent the pins 13 from moving out of them when pin 35 moves out of the slot in boss 34.

The revolution of the axle is continued by the operator and with it the disk 12 is revolved until the gap 26 is brought opposite the pawl 20, which then moves laterally and out of engagement with the disk. The axle and the associated parts are then allowed to turn in a backward direction under the action of the spring 28 which has been coiled up during the revolution of the axle. When the gap 37 is opposite the pawl, the spring 23 forces the pawl into rengagement with the ratchet teeth 18. The foot 10 rises into the slot 11 and prevents further turning of the axle until a fresh coin is used to set free the mechanism. The toothed wheels for operating the columns 2 and 3 are carried in a bracket 58 and the disk 12 is inclosed in a casing 59.

To prevent illicit tampering with the mechanism the top 7 of the casing is secured to the meter by a screw 60, see Figs. 1 and 2, which passes through a hole provided in the center of a cup 61 made integral with the said top. The screw enters a screw threaded hole in a lug 62 integral with the vertical plate 63 of the meter. After the screw has been screwed tight, sealing wax is poured into the cup 61 to cover the head of the screw, which cannot then be removed without breaking the sealing wax. The height of the worm 1 may be observed by looking through a pane 64 of glass, see Fig. 1, fixed in a vertical slot 65 formed in the casing. A column of numerals 66 is marked on the casing at the side of the pane, and the number of units of gas obtainable through the meter are indicated by reading the numeral opposite the top of the worm.

Wvliat I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In apparatus for the purpose indicated in combination with a casing, a registering column having a flat side, a main axle mounted in the casing, a toothed wheel revolved by the main axle, a pinion gearing with the toothed wheel, an axle upon which the pinion is fixed, a compound spur and miter wheel upon the other end of the axle, a second compound spur and miter wheel gearing with the first compound spur and miter wheel, a pinion gearing with the second compound spur and miter wheel, and a worm having a hole with a flat side and fitting freely upon the registering column, substantially as set fort n.

2. In apparatus for the purpose indicated in combination with a casing, a main axle journaled in the casing, a ratchet wheel mounted upon the axle, a disk mounted upon the main axle and having a gap with sloping faces, and having another gap with perpendicular faces, aws integral with the disk, lugs upon the axle adapted to engage the said jaws, a ratchet wheel integral with the disk, a pawl adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel and having a slotted hole whereby the pawl may oscillate laterally upon its pivot pin, a spring pressing the pawl upon the teeth of the ratchet wheel, a side spring pressing the pawl laterally, a spring coiled upon the axle and having one end attached to the casing andv the other end secured to the axle, substantially as set forth.

3. In apparatus for the purpose indicated in combination with a casing, a main axle, a pin upon the axle, a ratchet wheel and sleeve having a V-shaped gap adapted to engage the said pin, a toothed wheel mounted freely upon the sleeve, pawls on the toothed wheel adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and means for transmitting motion from the toothed wheel to a registering column, substantially as set forth.

4. In apparatus for the purpose indicated in combination with a casing, a main axle, a registering column, a worm fitting freely upon the registering column, a screwed column pivoted within the casing and gearing with the worm, a meter spindle having a sided end, a spindle journaled at one end in the casing and at the other end engaging the sided end of the meter spindle, means for transmitting motion from the spindle to the screwed column, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES EDWIN HIBBERD.

Witnesses:

J. HENRY SwAoKIE,

E. S. G. HARRisoN. 

